1. Field
Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to nutritional supplements and in particular to nutritional supplements for use by women.
2. Description of the Related Art
Nutrition plays a critical role in maintaining good health, especially in women during child-bearing years. Prescription multi-vitamin/multi-mineral nutritional supplements are often needed for improving the nutritional status of women prior to conception, throughout pregnancy and in the postnatal period for both lactating and non-lactating mothers. Pregnancy and lactation are among the most nutritionally volatile and physiologically stressful periods in the lifetime of a woman.
Specifically, vitamin and mineral needs are almost universally increased during these natural processes. These increased needs are almost always due to elevated metabolic demand, increased plasma volume, increased levels of blood cells, decreased concentrations of nutrients, and decreased concentrations of nutrient-binding proteins.
Research has suggested that optimizing specific nutrients before, during and after physiological processes of pregnancy and lactation can have a profound, positive and comprehensive impact upon the overall wellness of the mother and of the developing and newborn child, as well as the safety and health of the mother.
Thus, there is a need for a nutritional supplement to be used in improving the nutritional condition of women prior to conception, throughout pregnancy and in the postnatal period for both lactating and non-lactating mothers.